Data Bank Puts Battered At Risk

With so much discussion on homeland security and making us all safe, new federal rules that mandate the gathering of specific data about battered women beg the question -- why?

In a time where we are all so wary about being safe, why does our federal government feel the need to place detailed information on thousands of battered women in a centralized computer system?

Of course, it makes sense to utilize modern technology to create a more efficient data bank. And yes, you can argue that better efficiency would allow us to offer better service quicker. However, since victims of domestic violence are counted among the homeless when they seek shelter, these women would be potentially sacrificed and their locations exposed when information is entered into a computer data base by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

I urge our elected officials to look at the entire picture. It is imperative that we ensure the safety of those who are at risk. With so many having access to computers, we must be assured that any information gathered by state or federal agencies is in no way used to possibly harm those we are trying to protect.